Sarah

I just almost got hit by a car. The guy driving slammed on his brakes and I stood a hairs breath from his headlights and shouted "are you f--king kidding me?!" It wasn't night time yet so he didn't have that excuse. He zoomed off as fast as he could.
Its probably about the 87th time I've crossed the road near where I live and had to either shout or wave my hands about to alert the driver, or dodge out the way of a car. The most upsetting time was when a white van nearly ploughed into me whilst I was carrying my 6 month old.

Obviously, not being a devil-may-care jaywalker, each time this has happened I've had the 'walk' sign. The cars that have almost hit me have also had a green arrow to turn into the path of pedestrians crossing the road.

Why in the ever loving fudge would you design a road system whereby you signal cars to turn into the path of people crossing? Is this just in NYC/east coast or is this nationwide?

Weeze

Happens in Texas too but traffic is ment to give way to pedestrians. Red lights seem optional in Texas. As do speed limits. But thne thinking back, they were in Aberdeen too.

kimilseung

It is like that in WA too. I have been on both sides of it, nearly hit someone, nearly been hit. As a driver I think I am good to turn on green, but a pedestrian is stepping off the side walk as I do so. Another problem as I see it, is that cars only have to stop when you are in front of them, I do not like stepping on to a crossing as the cars hurtle towards me, even if they are a lane over.

Jerseygirl

Glad to hear you're OK Sarah.

It's the same with the turn right on red thing...peds have the white walk sign...but the cars can still turn on red. Same in Canada...or at least in Ontario.

scrubbedexpat091

Where I have lived west cost of the US and Canada, the pedestrian signal doesn't give the walk signal until after any green arrows, green arrow means oncoming traffic have a red and pedestrians are not safe to cross.

Michael

Recently I was in New York City and a friend was chaffering me around the city and the stuff he was doing would have a cops stop and ticket him at every corner in California. Some of the time he was on sidewalks, other times he was on the wrong side of the road, and all the time he was tailgating within a few inches of the car ahead of him or coming up very fast to the car in front of him.

So walking in NYC is a great risk.

By the way, that was probably my friend that nearly hit you.

tonrob

I live in sleepy small town New England. Here, if you let so much as the slightest inkling of a whimsy about the potential of one day possibly crossing the road escape as an expression onto your face, every moving car in the whole town slams its brakes on and stops whether you actually wanted to cross or not. The amount of times I have had to shift from the pavement on one side of the road to the other (and back again) while out for an afternoon stroll can literally double the length of my walk...

P.S. The traffic lights are still wired in the stupid way Sarah describes, obviously not that it matters here...

hobbes79

Same all around me.

I don't get it. I've had it explained to me "well, the driver just gives way if a person is walking across the street".

Well, if I saw a person crossing I-93 in the fast lane in rush hour, I'd still make every effort to give way to them rather than deliberately mowing them down! So what purpose is the pedestrian light!?!?!

Brat1

Glad you're okay Sarah, and they didn't actually hit you. I hate crossing the road in NYC, not only because of the reason that you mention, but also the swarm of people walking towards you either on their phone or with their ipod's, that have no intention of moving and I always have to move out of their way

We're the same as Tonrob here, must give way to pedestrians, whether they're on a crossing or not. And another thing that pisses me off, is that the pedestrian crossings have no lights or anything at them, so come dusk, it's hard to see sometimes, if someone is crossing, until you're right up at the crossing and it's not the first time I've had to slam on the breaks because they've popped out from behind a parked car ...... anyway, rant over, just glad you're okay

Jerseygirl

In NJ if a pedestrian is crossing at a designation road crossing cars must stop and give them right of way by law. They must wait until the pedestrian is on the pavement with both feet until they drive. Drivers in my part of NJ do seem to adhere to this rule...but waiting for the pedestrian to clear the road is asking a little too much for them.

When my daughter was a child...I had to remind her when we visited the UK that UK drivers will not stop and give you right of way as a courtesy. In fact bus drivers, taxi drivers and some drivers will actually put their foot down if they see you crossing the road...unless there is a red light.

Bob

It's because they don't actually expect people to walk and are a after thought.

It's even more fun when it's the cops that almost hit you...

Bob

It's that way here too. It's very hit or miss if people pay attention to the law though.

Often the cops are the worst offenders in town.

ChocolateBabz

Yep here in Texas pedestrians have right of way. One of our US friends complained that when they were in the UK they would step out in front of traffic and be shocked when cars didn't stop.

I am bad because when I am walking I get annoyed at the drivers and when I am driving I get annoyed at the pedestrians

Some of our pedestrians do take the mick though esp. in supermarkets. Some families like to cross in procession, all nine of them, one behind the other like bloody elephants. Some like to stop half way across the road and have a conversation or answer their phone. And then there are always the 'big bottom brigade' who insist on walking up the middle of the road at snails pace. Don't know why they always have big bottoms but they do. My biggest peeve are the children first pedestrians who think sending their 3 year olds out first is a good idea. They annoy me almost as much as the UK lot who like to cross on a corner with their baby buggy pushed out into the road in front of them.

I promise it wasn't me who tried to run you over Sarah, glad you are OK x

celticgrid

"Pedestrian crossing" is merely an urban myth.

The things you describe are lures, which generally take the form of white paint on the road surface. All those white markings and accompanying flashing signs are the species equivalent of the decoy duck or plastic deer. Treat them as such and you will survive longer.

cindyabs

The jaywalkers here in Savannah make me nuts, ESPECIALLY the college kids or the oblivious ones on their phones, whether talking or texting.